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MNeu Wiki Articles/Tatsu Eyrie
Tatsu Eyrie is a planned superstructure that will house the government of the Federated Commonwealth of Malatora, in addition to the bulk of the population. :(This article is written as if the structure currently exists, but it is presently only a CAD model.) As far as arcologies go, the Eyrie is fairly small. The structure is a network of self-supporting reinforced concrete arches, domes, and tunnels, all blended seamlessly into one another to look and function like a single massive structure. From above, the layout looks somewhat like the Greek letter Epsilon (or the Euro sign, with only one cross member and a less pronounced curve); the shape could also be described as the shape of a bow & arrow when drawn. The tip of the central member has the arched main entrance, which opens up to the wide Great Hall and its signature arch-shaped vaulted ceiling, which blends into a spacious bell-shaped central spire. A dais sits beyond the open spire (opposite the main entrance), and is used for important announcements, meetings, and formal diplomatic matters. Beyond this is a tunnel that leads down into the bunker complex that laces beneath FedCom's National Redoubt. Above this tunnel and behind the dais, on the second level, is the commons area; featuring a buffet, lounge, and various forms of entertainment and games. Branching off from the central spire and perpendicular to the Great Hall is a pair of gently curving ribbed corridors, lined with workshops, laboratories, offices, and residence chambers. A large library provides internet and intranet access for all citizens. The spire has more residential space embedded in its inner sides, and two auxiliary landing platforms on the outer surface (angled slightly forward, into the curve of the two wings). Roughly 2/3rds of the structure is partially embedded in the mountainside, regulating its internal temperature. The structure is designed with 6 to 8 above-ground storeys, but each floor is roughly twice as high as is normal (6 meters instead of 3), and the central spire rises high above the top storey. Below-ground levels house support equipment, recycling, and waste processing facilities: the structure has zero environmental impact. The design is typical of modern FedCom architectural engineering. Similar structures will eventually dot the countryside of Malatora. Tatsu Eyrie gets its name from the population it is designed to accommodate and support: Cytrans (specifically the Dragon models, since they are too large to freely move about in structures designed for humans). The name is constructed from the Japanese word for dragon ("tatsu"), and "eyrie" (an archaic form of "aerie", which is a name for a bird of prey's nest or a house/fortress located on a mountain). "Tatsu Eyrie" is most appropriately translated as "Dragon's Nest". No road or cut path leads to Tatsu Eyrie, making overland access difficult: only units capable of VTOL flight will have easy access to the structure. This is not a design oversight: it is intentional. For the occupants, this restriction will not be a problem. Although Tatsu Eyrie is connected to the tunnel network of the Redoubt, and it houses the national peacetime command center, the structure is completely unarmed, and is not built for military purposes. For protection, it relies solely on the surrounding defenses of the Redoubt, and its occupants. ---- Appearances in Fiction Tatsu Eyrie features prominently in a recently completed novel written by a FedCom citizen (writing under the pen name "Ryan Ashkoort"). It is accurately described in great detail throughout the novel. Two excerpts from the book, depicting the Eyrie in detail: *The Great Hall is described briefly in the third chapter: He finally spotted her, standing a few meters from the western wall, near one of the ornately carved wooden pillars. The pillars, typical of the hall, curved gracefully out, then up and back into the curved ceiling. They supported a balcony that encircled the massive room, suspended 12 meters above the floor. . . . Glancing around, Rilac marveled at the beauty of the Great Hall. The curving walls blended into the vaulted ceiling in a way that seemed natural and organic. Lights in the walls glowed softly, illuminating the room with a consistent glow that seemed almost sourceless. At the far end of the elongated hall, the main entrance opened up to the outdoors; above the arched entrance, a massive circular stained-glass window displayed the nation’s Great Seal. At the other end, over a hundred meters away, the room widened into a massive spire, which contained more residence space. . . . From the inside, the hall was designed to reinforce the illusion that it was grown out of a number of trees. Wooden railings wrapped around the balcony, carefully shaped to match the contours, like a work of art. Wooden arches marked the entrance to sub-corridors that led to the craft shops and lower living quarters: each arch was intricately carved and expertly stained to bring out the details. Deeper into the arcology, sculpture and paintings lined the halls: all this was the work of the residents. Every inside surface was paneled with stained wood, and carved in such a way that it looked alive. In reality, it was just a complicated self-supporting dome of reinforced concrete. The outside was coated in living plants, and blended harmlessly into the natural environment. *Tatsu Eyrie features again in the sixth chapter: The flight back to Tatsu Eyrie was uneventful and short — their ridge was only about three kilometers to the northeast of the arcology. Landing in the soft green grass outside the main entrance, Rilac was pleased to see the beautiful structure untouched by the day’s events. With all the external camouflage, it was possible the enemy wasn’t even aware of the structure’s existence. They strolled through the arched entryway and passed beneath the giant stained-glass window, which painted the design of the National Seal on the floor. The richly decorated wood paneling gleamed in the soft lighting of the Great Hall. Rilac felt a deep love and connection to this place: this was truly home… Activity in the hall was light, with most of the population still outside. They padded slowly to the widest point of the hall, and turned left to follow a long curving corridor. Like the Great Hall, it was paneled in intricately carved wood. Paintings and sculptures lined the walls. All this fine artwork was the product of the residents; having completed their labor obligations to society, Cytrans had a lot of free time. Almost all were effectively retired. Arriving at their destination, Darlea touched the control panel in the wall, and the large door separated and slid apart with a gentle hiss. They stepped into a large circular room with a dome ceiling that was bathed in bright white light. Carts and equipment cluttered the floor. As told by the lack of windows, the room was underground. This wasn’t uncommon; roughly two-thirds of Tatsu Eyrie was embedded in the side of the mountain. The above excerpts are printed here with the author's permission, but they are are not in the public domain, and may not be duplicated or reproduced without the author's explicit permission (seek permission here). Any unauthorized use or reproduction of any portion of this literary work, especially the character names "Rilac" and "Darlea", will be prosecuted to the full extent of any and all applicable laws in the country of the violator's residence. This notice must remain attached to these excerpts, and may not be removed. Category:FedCom